Lead Network Reliability Engineer

Lead Network Reliability Engineer Overview

This role is for an experienced network engineer who can step into a hands-on technical leadership position and improve the reliability, performance, resilience, and security of network and network security infrastructure across both datacentre and office settings. The team uses engineering-led operations, SRE methods, automation, and observability to reduce repetitive manual work, improve visibility, speed up incident response, and remove recurring faults at the source. The work is based in London and sits within the infrastructure engineering function at a quantitative research and technology firm that builds high-performance platforms to support complex research and engineering work.

What you will do

• Take ownership of network reliability engineering practices and help establish a more mature SRE approach for networking, with automation as the default way of working.
• Oversee the day-to-day operational health of network and network security platforms, including their stability, uptime, performance, and security posture.
• Improve observability across the network estate by strengthening telemetry, alerting, and performance monitoring so the team can act before issues become incidents.
• Help design and build an event-driven network architecture that is aligned with infrastructure-as-code principles.
• Act as a lead responder for serious network and security incidents, moving quickly from diagnosis to containment and then to durable fixes that prevent the same issue from returning.
• Carry out root-cause analysis on repeated failures and turn those findings into structural improvements that remove systemic problems.
• Develop and refine operational tooling, runbooks, and incident-response playbooks to raise the standard of service delivery.
• Work closely with other teams and stakeholders to improve networking processes, operational discipline, and overall resilience across the firm.
• Use automation, observability tooling, and newer technologies, including AI-assisted approaches where useful, to improve diagnostics, remediation, and operational efficiency.

What the team is looking for

• A strong background as a networking technical lead in an enterprise or similarly large-scale environment.
• Practical experience bringing SRE, observability, and automation ideas into network operations.
• Hands-on familiarity with Python and operational tooling such as Prometheus, Grafana, OpenTelemetry, Ansible, and Jenkins.
• Experience with Cisco and Arista switching and routing technologies.
• Experience working with network security infrastructure, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, and segmentation controls.
• Interest in or experience with event-driven automation and AI-supported operations, especially where these can improve troubleshooting, remediation, and efficiency.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across teams and operate effectively in a leadership capacity.

Why this opportunity stands out

The organisation describes itself as a place where deep technical exploration and careful execution are valued. The engineering environment is designed to support ambitious work, and the network function plays an important role in enabling the wider research and technology platform. This is a chance to shape how networking is operated at scale, improve reliability in a meaningful way, and help build systems and processes that support innovation across the business.

Rewards and support

• Highly competitive compensation with an annual discretionary bonus.
• Lunch provided through Just Eat for Business, plus access to a dedicated barista bar.
• 30 days of annual leave.
• Employer pension contributions of 9%.
• Informal dress code and a strong emphasis on work-life balance.
• Private healthcare and life assurance.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Monthly company events.
• Relocation support for people moving to London from within the UK or internationally.
• A concierge-style relocation service that can help with travel arrangements, finding a home, and managing the move.
• Immigration support through a specialist consultant, with relocation and immigration-related costs covered by the company.
• A flexible benefits platform that allows employees to tailor certain benefits and cover levels to suit their personal circumstances.
• Additional benefits referenced on the page include pension and bonus schemes, season ticket loans, charitable giving support, risk protection benefits, private health cover with GP, dental and vision access, enhanced support for health and family-forming needs, a healthcare cash plan, employee assistance and wellness programmes, extra leave options, backup dependent care, travel insurance for employees and families, gym and fitness subsidies, free lunch, complimentary barista service, regular social events, and guest speaker talks.

How the hiring process works

Applications are first reviewed by the talent acquisition team, who assess whether the candidate is a good fit for the role. The interview process then moves through several stages: an initial technical interview or remote technical test, a behavioural interview, additional technical interviews for a deeper assessment of skills and competencies, and finally management interviews with team members, the future manager, and functional leadership.

Additional context

The role is part of the infrastructure engineering organisation in London. The broader company brings together researchers and engineers in a collaborative environment focused on scientific rigour, advanced machine learning, and cutting-edge technology. The culture is described as collegiate, supportive, and highly stimulating, with an emphasis on long-term thinking, continuous learning, and building systems that have real impact.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

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